


The Fated Buchimaru

by RyanoftheAbyss



Series: Makoto Niijima Week 2018 [1]
Category: Persona 5, Persona Series
Genre: F/M, past story
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-17
Updated: 2018-09-17
Packaged: 2019-07-13 13:08:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,378
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16018568
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RyanoftheAbyss/pseuds/RyanoftheAbyss
Summary: Story for Day 1 prompt of Makoto Niijima Week: Buchimaru.Makoto Niijima is known by a few for her love of Buchimaru. This is the origin of one of her oldest and most beloved. A tale that unknowingly tied more to her future than she could have possibly imagined.





	The Fated Buchimaru

Nine attempts. Nine failures. One angry six-year-old.  
  
It was clear to anyone who looked at the little brunette standing there that she was quite frustrated. The source of this anger being the thing right in front of her; a crane machine. The child having spent quite a few yen by this point attempting to win the challenge game. Met with nothing but constant failure...  
  
It was early on Sunday afternoon and a young Makoto Niijima stood within one of Shibuya's arcades trying her hardest to win. Having been brought to this place due to her sister meeting with some friends at the establishment. Sae wanting to leave her kid sister behind at home, but their father insisted Makoto be brought along. Unable to argue it, the silver-haired youth did as told and took Makoto with her. Upon meeting up with her friends, however, Sae handed Makoto some yen and told her to go play some games while she hung out.  
  
Though dejected by her sister's words, Makoto did as told. Since their father told the brunette to behave for her big sis. Thus she complied and went to try out some games... only to realize she didn't recognize ANY of the games around her. She hadn't been to an arcade often enough to know these games. And most of them were already in use by a bunch of teens and young adults. Leaving Makoto with not much to do.  
  
That was when something caught her eye. A certain object that left her jaw slack and eyes wide. Her little feet scampering across the arcade floor until she was at the source of her attention. The crane machine. Inside an object that Makoto adored.  
  
A Buchimaru plushie. And not just any plushie. One of the loveable panda sitting up with his paws underneath his chin. One Makoto did not have. Her eyes practically sparkling at the decently sized plush animal as one thought came to mind. She had to win the Buchimaru. No matter the cost!  
  
It was nine tries later that Makoto found her frustration at its peak. Every attempt she made to win the plush was met with failure. Again and again she simply could not get the crane to work like she wanted it to. A deep frown on her face as she looked at her hand holding the last bit of Yen that Sae gave her to play with. Part of her wanting to go and ask Sae to win it for her, but she knew Sae would tell her to just go do something else.   
  
Makoto felt determination well up in her chest as she put her final Yen in to play. This was it. The final play. All she had to do was grab Buchi-kun by his head and it would be over! With as much concentration as the child could muster, she aimed the crane right over the toy's head before hitting the button. Watching the claw lower down and do as she pleased; gripping the sides of the panda's head with both tips. Makoto letting out a soft gasp of joy as the toy began to lift up...  
  
Only for the crane to loosen at the last moment and release the toy. The Buchimaru landing on its back. Makoto feeling her heart drop inside her chest as tears began to well in her eyes.  
  
"Buchi-kun..." The child mumbled sadly as she looked inside the glass case. The toy she tried so hard to win simply laying there unobtainable. Sae wouldn't possibly give her more Yen meaning she was out of luck. Makoto unable to stop sniffling at her loss... until a voice spoke from behind her.  
  
"A-are you okay...?"   
  
Makoto jumped a little in surprise before turning around. Greeted to a boy about her age; maybe a few months or so younger. His eyes a soft greyish color while his hair was black and rather fluffy. The boy looking at Makoto with concern as the little girl gripped the front of her dress. Clearly frustrated by her loss.  
  
"I-I couldn't win Buchi-kun..." Makoto mumbled sadly as she looked down at the ground. The new boy looking at her a little confused before glancing over the brunette's shoulder. Seeing the plush panda inside it before turning to her again.  
  
"The panda...?" Makoto nodded to the boy's question. "Um... I could win it for you."   
  
The statement had been so sudden that it left little Makoto shocked. Looking at the boy with her large red eyes even as tears formed in them. "R-really?"  
  
"Y-yeah. I'm... kinda good at crane games. But um, could you maybe help me with something first?" The boy asked which left Makoto a little confused while wondering why this boy seemed so nervous. Wiping away her tears as she tilted her head to the side in questioning what he wanted from her. "See that game over there...?"  
  
Makoto looked on as the boy pointed to a nearby arcade game featuring a pair of plastic guns. Currently in use by some older teens that seemed to be enjoying said game. Makoto nodding with an "mhm" towards her fellow elementary schooler.  
  
"Well, they won't let me play unless I have a partner to play with... So I was wondering if you'd play with me? I promise to win you the panda if you do. If that's okay I mean...?" He asked of her. Makoto looking at him honestly a little confused before she frowned.  
  
"B-but I dun have any more money to play with, and I dunno how to do that one..." She muttered sadly. Only for the boy to chuckle at her statement.  
  
"It's okay. I can show ya. And Ma left me a bunch of money while she goes shopping. So could you? Please? I promise to win the panda after we're done."   
  
The proposition was good. At least Makoto thought proposition was the proper word. She heard Sae say it once and it seemed to fit. Wait what was she doing again...? Oh right! The panda! Makoto thinking over the deal this fluffy haired boy offered before finally nodding. All she had to do was play a game to win a new Buchi-kun? It was too good to be true! With that in mind, she held out her hand to shake in agreement.  
  
"Okay!"  
  
With a shy smile forming on the boy's face, he reached out and took Makoto's hands; the two shaking on their agreement before the brunette was pulled along. The kids quick to approach the teens playing and talk. At first, the teens seemed skeptical of the boy suddenly finding a partner to play with due to his seemingly meeker demeanor. But a deal was a deal. The two jumping off to allow Makoto and her new friend to play.  
  
Once the game was all freed up, Makoto followed the boy to the proper spot and took one of the plastic guns. Fortunate that the game's screen was big enough that even kids at their size could see. Makoto taking her new weapon of sorts and playing alongside her new friend. She was... quite terrible at it to start with. Unsure what she was doing which resulted in her dying a few times.  
  
Her new friend though was very kind about it. Teaching her how to play it properly and soon she was doing much better. They even managed to get pretty high scores at the end of it all. Makoto unable to contain how much fun she had, resulting in the boy asking with some hesitation if she wanted to try more games. She said yes without waver.  
  
For a short time, Makoto and the little boy went from game to game playing with one another. Whack-a-mole, music games, driving games, and even a popular dancing one. The two jumping around while giggling one the dance pads; not caring for scores or whatnot. They were just having fun. Holding hands and dragging one another to various games to play together.  
  
It was pretty late into the trip when Makoto heard a familiar voice. Turning to see one Sae Niijima approaching her with a somewhat annoyed expression. "Hi Sis!" Makoto called out as Sae got close. The silver-haired youth sighing softly before looking down at her sister... only to notice the boy at her side as they held hands.  
  
"...Made a new friend I see?" Sae asked with a curiously raised brow. Makoto nodding happily as she told her sister they had been playing games all this time. Sae finding her mood raised a little- having it ruined by her friend a few moments prior- before nodding. "Fair enough. But we need to get going Makoto. It's almost dinner time."   
  
Makoto found herself frowning at that upon realizing it meant the fun was over. She was about to talk but was interrupted by her fluffy haired companion. "Please wait. I-I gotta do something first." Before Makoto knew it, the boy began to drag her along. Seemingly a little more confident than before upon growing comfortable around the brunette. Makoto and Sae both a little confused; the latter quick to follow the pair of children. Only to see them stop at the crane machines.  
  
Makoto gasped. She had almost forgotten about Buchi-kun! She had been enjoying herself so much with the games and her new friend, that everything else basically became white noise for her. Makoto and Sae soon standing side by side as the boy took out some yen and placed it into the machine. The two kids rather grateful that no one seemed to try and win the panda toy while they played.  
  
Sae was a bit lost with context on all this, but she could tell what that panda was right away. Makoto's obsession with the Buchimaru products always making her a little bit annoyed due to HOW captivated her sister was. Always on about "Buchi-kun." But... she was curious. No one she knew EVER would win these crane machines, and yet the boy seemed so confident as he played. Watching as Makoto was on the edge of her metaphorical seat in anticipation.  
  
The boy all the while had a steady breath as he moved the crane into position. Quietly looking to ensure everything was ready until he hit the grab button. Makoto and Sae watching as the claw lowered down as per usual. Angled at such a way that it lowered down around the laying panda toy's neck. Gripping at just the right angle to balance it out; Makoto gasping as the toy lifted up. Watching with wide eyes as it was carried through the machine itself until it was finally dropped into the hole.   
  
Victory had been achieved.  
  
With a smile, the boy reached into the machine and pulled out the Buchimaru plushie. Holding it in his hand before turning to Makoto and holding it out for her. "H-here you go. A promise is a promise."  
  
Makoto... squealed. Taking the plushie into her arms and hugging it tight before bouncing up and down. Sae and the boy a little surprised by her squeal before she turned to the latter. "Thankyouthankyouthankyou!" Makoto cried out with so much joy in her eyes. Hugging the toy with every ounce of strength she had. "Youarethebestever!"   
  
The boy in question felt his cheeks dust a little bit with a soft flush. Sae spotting such a thing as the boy nervously rubbed the back of his neck. "I-it's no big deal... J-just doing what I promised..." He mumbled softly, clearly now more embarrassed than before. Sae feeling a soft smirk forming on her lips as she shook her head.  
  
"Alright Makoto, we really should be going. Thank your friend one more time and we'll head out." Sae instructed to her sister who was quick to nod; the former making her way towards the entrance.  
  
"Thank you so much... um... oh! W-we never said our names to one another! I'm Makoto!" The brunette cheered with pure joy while hugging her new toy. The boy realizing that they had been so engrossed in all their games that he never properly introduced himself.  
  
"I'm uh, Ren." He said with a smile. "And it's okay. You were really nice an' stuff. So um... thanks for playing with-" Ren began to thank the girl, only for something unexpected to happen. Makoto suddenly getting rather close before pressing a quick kiss to his cheek. The boy feeling his face heat up in a blush while Sae looked on with a raised but knowing brow from afar.  
  
"Thanks again! Bye bye Renren!" Makoto said before leaving to go to her sister. Taking the teen's hand as the sisters walked side by side out of the arcade. Leaving little Ren standing there- flushed and flustered.   
  
"Bye... Makoto..." he mumbled softly. Unsure how to respond to all that... was this technically a first kiss...? He was too dumbfounded to think it over.  
  
As those thoughts went through his head, Sae walked with her sister smirking. "Seems a little someone has a boyfriend~" Sae teased to which Makoto nodded.   
  
"Mhm! He's the best! Isn't that right Buchi-kun?" Makoto asked the new plushie in her arms as they kept walking. Sae knowing all too well that Makoto didn't know what she meant by "boyfriend" but smiled nonetheless. Her soured mood raised a little as they made their way home. Makoto using her other arm to hug her new toy with all her love while wondering if she'd ever meet that boy in the arcade again.  
  
The finer details of the day she got one of her favorite toys would fade over time, as most memories did. However, she couldn't have possibly known about that boy visiting from the countryside would someday return to Tokyo once more. Or that they'd be brought together again not only as friends but as eventually teammates and lovers. All she remembered about that day was a kind boy winning her a toy and letting her have fun.  
  
Never expecting one day so many years later that Ren would to come to her room and go, "Wait... Didn't I win that years ago...?" upon seeing the plush.  
  
The look on both their faces when he said that was priceless, to say the least.  
  
**END**

**Author's Note:**

> Thus this story comes to a close. I figured I'd try something cute and simple for the Buchimaru story, and got this as a result. Thought it'd be a fun read. And if you're wondering about the toy, it's an actual one in her room that you can see in the Dancing Star Night game. The one in the glass case.
> 
> But yeah. This kicks off Makoto week on my end. If you aren't aware of the week and such, check the link I'll provide below. Join in if you like! Just please be sure to read the rules proper. Thanks to those who took the time to read this, please let me know what you think in the comments below, and have a wonderful day.
> 
> Makoto Niijima Week Info: https://twitter.com/makotoweek/status/1028997309789483008


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